The results of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) election last week has provided further ammunition for those opposed to State BJP president Ernest Mawrie, with senior figures set to apprise the BJP’s central leadership about their concerns.
The BJP won just two seats out of the 29, although one was the prestigious Tura constituency. This was despite obvious discontent in the incumbents, especially the NPP, which the BJP attacked vigorously during campaigning and even before for the way it ran the GHADC.
However, despite its efforts, it was the Congress that gained and emerged as the single largest party, with 12 seats to the NPP’s 11, even though it could not find any partners to form the executive committee. Today, BJP national council member Bashailang Khongwir sent out a press release blaming the State unit president Ernest Mawrie for the disappointing results.
Khongwir said that Mawrie had “sidelined several senior leaders from Garo Hills while giving tickets to candidates.”
Many of those that were given tickets were weaker than other aspirants who were looked over, he added.
“If Mawrie wants to run the party in a progressive direction then he should have consulted and kept all leaders intact but, however, Mawrie has failed to do so. The result of the GHADC is an eye opener for the Meghalaya BJP as Congress has emerged victorious, which the central (BJP) leaders are wary of,” Khongwir stated.
Mawrie’s leadership has been decried by Shillong South MLA Sanbor Shullai, who has contradicted the former’s attacks made against the state government on issues ranging from alleged corruption in the GHADC to illegal coal mining.
However, Mawrie has a supporter in Bernard Marak, who was victorious in the Tura seat.
